Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews

Atlanta is a city plagued by magical problems. Kate Daniels will fight to solve them—no matter the cost.
Mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate, Curran, the Beast Lord, are struggling to solve a heartbreaking crisis. Unable to control their beasts, many of the Pack’s shapeshifting children fail to survive to adulthood. While there is a medicine that can help, the secret to its making is closely guarded by the European packs, and there’s little available in Atlanta.
Kate can’t bear to watch innocents suffer, but the solution she and Curran have found threatens to be even more painful. The European shapeshifters who once outmaneuvered the Beast Lord have asked him to arbitrate a dispute—and they’ll pay him in medicine. With the young people’s survival and the Pack’s future at stake, Kate and Curran know they must accept the offer—but they have little doubt that they’re heading straight into a trap…

“Is there a cookie at the end of this lecture? ... I got a cookie after all ... Dear god, the cookie was poisoned.”

The Kate Daniels series spread through the Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance crowds like wildfire years ago. Being an addictive series, it wasn’t easy waiting two years for a pure Kate POV book to be released, but finally here we are.

This book takes us out of the familiar city of Atlanta. Besides the beginning, we aren’t having walks up the stairs of keep, debates around the desk at Kate’s firm or romps in the city. The setting has become a sort of character in itself, so we must wave goodbye, a little sadly, as a large group of the regulars head to Europe. Yes, they know it’s a trap, but they’re still determined to risk it in typical fashion for the panacea (a plot-device drug that helps cure loupism.)

Magic Rises starts grim, establishing all reasons and motivations for the lengthy journey. Sad chapter. Pacing remains even through and through – there’s some relationship woes in the second half, but I didn’t see this stunt the pacing any. The ending has a decent enough battle, although it lacks length and some of the fireworks of previous finale wars.

Curran – love this lion/guy, and think I always will. He presses all the buttons of mine he needs to. Yum. Am I the only one who figured he was playacting from the start to save Kate and for her benefit? I was never worried or bugged. People talk about this one being too angst filled, but really Kate shrugged it off for most of the time, trusting Curran until she had genuine reason to doubt and mistrust. At least when she did finally mistrust, it was brief, and it led to the best sword fight of the series.

Kate is completely likeable in this one. She doesn’t have this massive chip on her shoulder and acts reasonably and with brains. Derek and Barabas are always great, although Derek seems to be lacking some of his previous spark. I don’t mean the disfigurement that changed his personality and brought out grimmer qualities, he just seems lacking in other ways suddenly. Maybe it was too brief of a time spent with him. Andrea and Rafael are back again, which is always a delight to see, and of course Aunt B, who really shined. There is a loss of a big character, which sucked. Hugh as a villain is just charismatically appealing. He’s intelligent, creative, flirty, enthusiastic, and wickedly fun.

As always the book’s humor pops up at the strangest times, especially when Currant/Kate banter. Love their dialogue exchanges. Sensuality rating for this one is practically nonexistent, although since we’ve seen some much previous steam from the alpha couple before, it’s not required. It’s a Kate Daniels book, so of course it’s bloody and violent.

As a weakness I find the panacea awfully convenient. Here we are at the 6th book and we just now hear about the miraculous cure that was never even hinted toward before. The characters have apparently always known about it according to the first chapter, but to me it’s fishy, and the ending of it felt a little cheesy and a cop out.

Also, it bugs me no mention from the previous book’s cliffhanger about Kate being taught real necromancy. I was looking forward to some of that in the sequel.

Overall the book lived up to my expectations and I couldn’t put it down. Hugh and Kate’s discussions were especially fascinating. There were a few twists and my jaw literally dropped at least once in surprise. It’s an excellent book and Ilona Andrews never disappoints their readers.

Book Quote:

“So this is what it's about? This is your mature response to go off into the mountains rather than talking about it and have s'mores with a gnome and a mountain man."
"Yep"
"What's your plan for tomorrow? Brunch with a unicorn?”

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Books reviewed or mentioned on this website have either been given to me free in exchange for an honest for review or purchased. My opinions of these books are my own and no monetary or other compensation has been requested, expected or received. Ratings/opinions of books are not influenced by how I acquired them.